Dunmore Road interchange drives forward in Medicine Hat

It’s “lights out” for a Medicine Hat intersection, which will soon be replaced by a new interchange at Highway 1 and Dunmore Road.

“The people in and around Medicine Hat depend on our transportation network to get them home safely, to work or school on time, and to get our products to market,” said Ray Danyluk, Minister of Transportation. “This investment in a new interchange supports Medicine Hat’s growth and future development.”

The project will be tendered this summer with construction anticipated to start in fall 2012 and be completed by summer 2014. Project costs will be released when the tender closes and the contract is awarded.

“My constituents are very pleased to see this important project move forward,” said Len Mitzel, Parliamentary Assistant of Transportation and MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat. “As Medicine Hat and southeast Alberta continue to grow, this new interchange ensures that our highway infrastructure network remains modern, efficient and safe.”

The new interchange bridges will carry Highway 1 over Dunmore Road, a design feature that minimizes the impact on nearby properties. The project also includes entry and exit ramps from all directions, along with modifications to Dunmore Road. Approximately 17,000 vehicles per day use Highway 1 near the intersection while Dunmore Road is a major artery in the city’s road network.

“The City is grateful to the Province for recognizing the need for an interchange at Dunmore Road and the Trans-Canada Highway," said Mayor Norm Boucher. "My history as a police officer forces me to look at safety first and the new interchange will greatly improve safety at the intersection for residents, visitors, and travellers in Medicine Hat."

Interchanges are considered the safest and most efficient way to enter or exit a highway. On average, interchanges reduce collisions by 45 per cent and eliminate t-bone and head-on collisions that frequently result in serious injuries or fatalities.

Budget 2012 invests in people. It allocates approximately 75 per cent of provincial funding to the core programs of health, education and human services without raising taxes, while forecasting a return to a balanced budget by 2013-14.